In contact sports like hockey, protective equipment must be worn to limit the risk of injury during play. The amount of protection that can be provided by the equipment is generally limited by the restrictions the protective equipment will bring to the movements of the wearer, and as such compromise must be made between safety and comfort.
Upper body protective equipment typically includes rigid protective plates in locations most susceptible to injury and/or most vulnerable, for example the sternum, the shoulders and the spine. However, the use of rigid protective plates increases the bulkiness of the protective equipment, thus its tendency to shift with respect to the body of the wearer when the torso is rotated, such as for example when performing a slap shot in hockey. This shift can cause discomfort and/or leave previously protected parts of the torso unprotected, thus susceptible to injury. Tightening of the protective equipment around the torso can limit this shift, but however generally increases the restriction of movement brought about by the protective equipment.